Surprise! You have chickens!

[MaBelle]

I came home from work yesterday and found a chicken tractor with 2 8 month old Araucana hens in my yard!! My friend built the tractor.. I think it needs a little tweaking and I need to make a yard for them.. the tractor is quite small. I had to grab some timothy hay from my work today to use as bedding... They started eating it (of course)... I'm paranoid about them getting an impacted crop.. Any thoughts? I got home from work today to find 2 eggs!!!!! Yay!!

 

[Joshua G]

Hi, and welcome to BYC! And congrats on your new chickens and first eggs!
I would use some treats to try and distract them from eating the hay even put it in their feeders.
And unless they are eating a lot of it they should be fine.
Are they pecking at the hay or can you see them swallowing it?

 

[TwoCrows]

Congrats on those eggs! Yes, if they over eat on hay, they can get impacted crops. My girls gorge on grass hay so I just can't let them eat it. So you might want to find something else for bedding....pine shavings or even sand. I worship sand and use it everywhere..coops, runs and even the nest boxes!

What a wonderful surprise to find in your back yard! Enjoy your new flock and welcome to BYC!

 

[Ren2014]

and

.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Congratulations on your new chickens, what beautiful eggs! X3 sand or shavings make good bedding if they are eating the hay. You might want to check out the Learning Center for lots of articles on chicken keeping https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center and the Coops section and Coop/Run Design forum for ideas on tweaking your tractor. https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/9/coop-run-design-construction-maintenance

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

Nice blue eggs! Your hens appear to be Easter Egger hens, mixed-breed blue/green egg layers.

 

[gander007]

 

[drumstick diva]

what a nice surprise

 

[sourland]

Surprise! and a great one at that. Welcome to BYC.

 

[MissJenn]

What a fun surprise!